


We Were Young

by barcelona (orphan_account)



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Angst, Divorce, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-10
Updated: 2012-03-10
Packaged: 2017-11-03 14:09:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/382167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/barcelona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martin was once married, but it didn't last. Eleven years later, ex-Mrs. Crieff flies with MJN.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Were Young

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for meme prompt: [Here](http://cabinpres-fic.dreamwidth.org/3282.html?thread=3940818#cmt3940818).

...

Six months.

They had known each other for six months, and damn it he was in love with her. So much so, that on their half-year anniversary he asked her to marry him. She squealed, she cried, she hugged, they kissed, and amongst it all she said yes.

Their parents disapproved.

Their friends were uncertain.

“Too young,” they warned, “Too impulsive.”

But when their hearts didn’t untwine, they were simply asked to wait.

To make their families happy they agreed, then secretly acquired a license and snuck off to London for a “couple’s retreat”.

Their marriage was twice as long as their courtship, and their divorce twice as memorable as their honeymoon.

They parted on good terms, but didn’t stay in touch.

They had been too young, too impulsive.

And Martin wondered on occasion what could have been if they had waited.

Eleven years later, and he’d be given the chance to find out.

...

Honeymooners – the one word that successfully sent a shivering growl through the flight deck. Though from which of Gerti’s two pilots the annoyed sound came from was uncertain, but both felt equally distasteful towards the prospect. Carolyn naturally ignored their muddled mumbles as she happily instructed them to make last-minute preparations for Hawaii.

...

“What do you think they’ll be like?”

“Two young, lovesick Americans who will probably find it very difficult to keep their hands off each other – one can only hope Carolyn’s had a certain talk with Arthur.”

...

“… Thank-you for flying with MJN air, and we hope you’ve had a pleasant flight.”

Martin finished the address with a sigh, and sunk back into his chair. Douglas chuckled as Martin ran a hand down his face. The three hour flight had been bumpy at best, and spent intermittently entertaining Arthur when he snuck into flight deck as things in the cabin got a bit uncomfortable for third parties. From the sounds of it, Douglas’ prediction had been spot on for the moonstruck lovebirds.

Martin couldn’t help but wonder if it would last.

As Gerti powered down, there was a soft knock at the door and Martin called for them to come in. Arthur poked his head in and asked if it was alright for the passengers to thank the pilots. Both men stopped premature eye-rolls, and sat straight, doing their best to smile as Arthur move aside.

In stepped two attractive people, a tall man in his late-twenties with fair skin and fairer hair, and a shorter woman in her early thirties with dark skin and silky eyes, which directed themselves immediately to Martin and lit up with recognition. Martin frowned at the look, before his own brow nearly disappeared into his hairline.

“June!”

“I thought it was you, Marty,” the woman had a soft southern accent, but there was the hint of something distinctly foreign.

Martin stood with an impossibly happy grin and was immediately pulled into a hug by June, to the chagrin of both first officer and husband.

They parted, but kept their arms on each other as Martin looked June over, “God, it’s been ages!”

“Eleven years,” June exclaimed, giggling while her eyes roved over the captain, “Look at you, you haven’t changed a bit, and you’re a captain now!”

Martin turned an interesting shade of pink, “T-technically yes, and h-how about you? You’re even more pretty than I remember.”

That last comment earned a cough from apparent Mr. June, and a laugh from his oblivious wife as she tucked her hair behind her ear, “Oh, I’m sorry, Martin this is my husband Richard, Richard this is… Martin.”

“Hello,” Richard said with his face none too pleased as he took Martin’s hand, “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, a-and you, too, of course, oh, Douglas!” Martin turned to his first officer, who had the most promising glint in his eyes, one that made Martin wonder if it was a good day to hide in the loo, “June, this is my first officer, Douglas Richardson.”

“Charmed, I’m sure,” Douglas purred as he rose from his seat and shook the young woman’s hand, “It’s very rare for our captain here to attract such lovely people, so I hope you don’t mind me asking exactly how you two are acquainted?”

All the color drained from Martin’s face as June happily chirped, “We were married!”

...

“ _Married?_ ”

“Work a little more disbelief into your voice, Douglas.”

“Well, since Sir has never even hinted at the prospect before-“

“Oh, I’m sorry, was I not supposed to-“

“No, June, it’s fine, lunch?”

...

As if introductions hadn’t been enough, taxying Gerti with two suddenly uncomfortable newlyweds in the flight deck introduced both pilots to a new level of awkward. Not to mention the curious inquiry of one Arthur Shappey, and suspect Carolyn.

During the short but intense process the crew learned that June and Martin had met at Martin’s previous job, had dated for six months, decided they were soul mates, and then discovered how not to be happily married. After eight months of being Mr. and Mrs. Crieff, they weren’t sure if they hated or loved each other, and by the end of eighteen they decided to call it quits.

Then June had transferred, then moved, and gotten citizenship in the states, where she met Richard.

June argued that it wasn’t that her and Martin hadn’t loved each other; it was that they just weren’t ready.

Carolyn was sympathetic, Richard was suddenly less confident, Arthur was enthralled, and Martin squirmed like he had never squirmed before. Douglas, meanwhile, did his best not to look amused.

By the time they were walking towards the canteen, Arthur had become distracted by a series of promising shops – Carolyn chasing after, and Douglas couldn’t help but notice the furtive glances June kept sending Martin’s way. Martin stumbled on, oblivious, and trying to keep up with Richard’s explanation of the architect business.

...

“Well, Douglas seems like fun.”

“He can be, when he’s not an arrogant sod.”

“I thought him charming.”

“Most everyone does, that’s the problem.”

“Well, what about you?” June rested her chin in hands, Douglas and Richard having walked off to pay their respective halves of the check, leaving the two exes alone and Martin to wonder if Douglas had decided to be generous on purpose.

“W-what about me?”

“Charm anyone lately? I didn’t want to ask earlier, you stutter more in groups.”

“Yes, well – and no, not anyone lately… or for a while, but you’ve done well, with Richard.”

“Young, smart, rich, handsome, yes you’d think so.”

“You don’t?”

“He’s husband number three in as many decades, but… I think he’s finally it.”

“You’re not sure?”

“Should I be? I thought you and James would be life too, but we were different, you were my first love.”

“I-I was?”

“I never told you?”

“No, no, and I wouldn't-“

“I’m sorry we didn’t keep in touch.”

Martin stared at June, the look she was giving him, “I’m sorry too.”

And then Douglas and Richard returned, and the two broke eye contact, fiddling with their hair respectively.

...

June turned to Martin just outside the airport as Richard waved down a taxi, she seemed nervous as she met Martin’s eyes.

“You know, I’ve often thought about you, and what we had. Do you remember those silly love letters we used to leave in each other’s pigeon holes?”

“I think I still have some.”

If at all possible, June’s smile turned sweeter, “Do you think… Do you think we would’ve made it if we had waited, or held on?”

“I-I’m not sure, but I think we made the right choice back then. We were young.”

“We’re not now, Martin.”

“You have Richard.”

“I want you.”

“June, I-“

“I know, I know, I'm sorry, and thank-you, anyway.”

“For what?”

“For loving me when you did.”

June pecked his cheek and then waved farewell as she slid into the cab, Richard shutting her door.

Martin touched where her lips had met his skin, and watched as she smiled affectionately at him before the taxi pulled away.

“Well that was foolish,” Martin turned to Douglas, whose smug face had turned to something akin to sympathy, “You won’t find another like her or any if your reputation holds.”

“Shut up… Do you think they’ll be happy?”

“I certainly hope so, though I doubt Richard will be letting her greet the pilots again.”

Martin laughed, and Douglas smiled, before directing his captain down the street in search of the wayward Shappeys.

End.


End file.
